Wire-tightener



8. 9 8 V. o N d t n e t a P. N.R. UE N ME VIT H UG Bl T AE .m WW 2. 9 7l! ...D 0 N (Application med .my so, 189e.)

(No Model.)l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIE AMOS BOYN TON, OF DUBLIN, TEXAS.

WIRE-TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,792, dated November 8, 1898.

Application filed J' uly 30| 1898. Serial No. 687,283. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIE AMos BOYN- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dublin, in the county of Erath and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful fire- Tightener, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-tighteners.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire-tighteners and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device which will possess great strength and durability and which will be capable of stretching a wire around a fence-post to produce the desired tension and of holding the wire in such position while the same is being secured to the post.

The invention consists in theconstrnction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a wire-tightener" constructed in accordance with this invention and showing the parts arranged preparatory to stretching a fence-wire around a fence-post. Fig. 2 is a similar View illustrating the arrangement of the parts after stretching a fence-wire and preparatory to fastening the same. Fig. 3 is a plan View illustrating the arrangement of the ratchet bars or jaws.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates a lever provided at one end with an angularly-disposed arm 2 and having its other end forming a handle. The arm 2, which is bifurcated, receives a cam-roller 3 and is preferably formed by a pair of plates secured to the opposite faces of a wooden bar, which forms the body of the lever; but the construction may be varied, if desired. The lever is connected adjacent to the inner end 0f the arm by a pivot 4, with the inner ends of a pair of ratchet bars or jaws 5, adapted to straddle a fence-post 6 and engage a fencewire 7, whereby when the lever is fulorumed on the post and is swung to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings the fence-wire will be stretched around the post at opposite sides of the same. The ratchet bars or jaws 5,which are constructed of metal, are bent near their inner ends to oifset them sufficiently to straddle a post, and they are'provided at their lower edges with recesses forming hook-shaped projections 8, adapted to engage a fence-wire, as shown.

The roller, which is journaled between the plates of the lever, preferably has a concave bearing-face to fit a round post, and the lever, preparatory to stretching a fence-wire, is arranged in substantially a vertical position, with its handle uppermost, as illustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings, and its handle portion is then swungv downward, which brings the lever to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, and as the lever is substantially L-shaped the' pivot 4 is carried away from the post, thereby stretching the fencewire.

When the lever is arranged as shown in Fig. 2, the tension of the fence-wire is suiiicient to hold the parts in that position, and both hands of the operator may be employed in attaching the fence-wire to the post, which is done by extending a short piece of wire around the rear face of the post and securing its ends to the fence-wire. The series of notches or hook-shaped projections enable the tension of the fence-wire to be readily regulated.

In order to enable the fence-'wire to be stretched around a picket for securing the latter to the wire, a pair of supplemental jaws or bars 9 is employed, and the inner terminals of the supplemental bars or jaws are connected with the lever by the pivot 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. The supplemental jaws or bars, which are arranged within the jaws or bars 5, are nearly straight, being only slightly deflected to lincrease the space between them.

The invention has the following advantages: The wire-tightener, which is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, possesses great strength and durability and is adapted to stretch a fence-wire around a post and to hold it in such position while it is being fastened. It is also adapted to secure stays to the wires, and by fastening the stays in this manner they remain on the wires perfectly secure, as there is no liability of the fastening devices becoming detached, and a wooden stay will last until it rots.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrifieing any of the advantages of this invention.

l. A wire-tightener comprising a pair of bars or jaws adapted to straddle a fence-post and engage a fence-wire at opposite sides thereof, a lever pivotally connected at a point between its ends with the inner ends of the jaws or bars and provided at one end with an arm, adapted to be fnlernmed on a fence-post, whereby the jaws or bars are drawn outward to stretch a fence-wire and to hold the device on a post while fasteningr the wire, and a roller mounted on the said arm at the outer end thereof substantially as described.

2. A wire-tightener comprising a pair of jaws or bars provided with means for en gaging a fence-wire, a substantially L-shaped lever pivotally connected to the jaws or bars at a point between its ends, said lever being bifurcated, and a roller journaled in the bifurcation, substantially as described.

3. A wire-tightener comprising a substantially L-shaped lever, the main jaws or bars pivotally connected to the lever, near the angle of the saine and being deflected laterally to increase the space between them, and a pair of supplemental jaws or bars located within the main jaws or bars and connected with the lever by the pivot of the same, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIE AMOS BOYNTON.

W'itnesses:

JNO. J. RAY, W. R. YOUNG. 

